Why Enterprise Class Software Development Matters in a Changing Library World

 

In 2016, Innovative articulated a strategy to become an enterprise class library solutions company.

The term “enterprise class” is widely used to describe software applications that are scalable, reliable, manageable and secure enough to manage resource planning across a large organization.  Enterprise class solutions are also:

  • Open and compatible with existing tools and data sources
  • Flexible and extensible to address institutional diversity and local workflows
  • Able to accommodate the growth and increased complexity of an organization’s evolving needs
  • Protected from security threats and compliant with industry standards

Today, libraries and library consortia provide access to ever-expanding types of physical, digital, and technological resources, as well as increasingly diverse services.  Library clients face a critical need for highly flexible, dependable software solutions that can accommodate growth in the collections and resource types they maintain and the populations they serve.  High quality systems provide a good foundation, but for libraries to achieve their long-term goals, there is even greater value in having a strategic technology partner.  That’s why Innovative has chosen to extend the rigor associated with the “enterprise class” label from the software that we build to our company itself.

As libraries expand and adapt to satisfy evolving user expectations, a trusted vendor partner can simplify planning and ensure an organization’s ability to execute their vision. With greater diligence around measuring return on investment and strict demands to demonstrate the library’s value to the local community or parent institution, libraries require a personalized relationship combined with the professionalized operations that only an enterprise class provider can deliver. Becoming “enterprise class” sets a standard for both the Innovative corporation and our software.

Over the past year, Innovative has invested time and resources in the areas of product development and future technology, library partner communications, and library success to deliver on our commitments to our library partners and propel our business toward the goal of “achieving enterprise class.” As part of this effort in 2016, we have:

  • Opened a new customer competency center in Melbourne, Australia
  • Grown our business with over 1000 new library clients
  • Completed 64 internal projects to streamline library partner relationships
  • Developed and released over 50 new product releases
  • Released three new cloud-based products: Innovative Linked Data, Innovative Knowledge Base, and MyLibrary!
  • Sponsored or participated in more than 110 industry and thought leadership events

To maintain momentum and accelerate our transformation, we have also expanded the Innovative leadership team.  Our clients provided tremendous feedback around examining other markets where technology has driven transformational customer experiences that redefined traditional software and services delivery models.  Innovative recognizes that libraries face commercial competition for their patrons’ attention, and we believe that applying ideas, technologies, best practices, and solution knowledge from other markets is critical to delivering a lasting value proposition and ensuring a successful future for our library partners.  Our new executives complement the talents of our existing leadership team, bringing with them a wealth of experience and knowledge on practices and methodologies that have been successful in other technology-oriented industries. Every officer will play an important role in our journey to becoming enterprise class. Innovative is revolutionizing the way we build, support, and sell software to a global audience – to better serve our library partners and to raise the bar in the library industry.

To learn more about the team leading these efforts, visit our Executive Leadership page.

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